I'LL DO IT LATER
From the time we are young and into adulthood, we learn about the importance of routine, structure, and organization. We divide up our days to make sure that we are able to accomplish the necessary tasks of the day and keep on top of projects that we need to complete. Always striving to be on top of our responsibilities so we don’t fall behind because we know that could have negative consequences, and yet there are days where we are sitting on the couch and think to ourselves, “I can do that later”. This is a moment that every human has had at least once in their life (or in my case several times a week). Heck, I even thought that before writing this post. We justify this delay in many ways, either by doing another task (e.g. cleaning your pantry, organizing your closet, or cooking an elaborate and heathy dinner), this way we feel justified in our choice. We may say to ourselves “I have enough time tomorrow” or “I’ll work better under pressure anyways” (I tell myself the second one all the time).
Procrastination is often mischaracterized as a form of laziness or poor time management. Procrastination isn’t a passive choice, we actively make the decision to put something off and we are fully aware of the fact that it is not a good idea. Yet, we still fall into the trap repeatedly. According to Dr. Fuschia Sirois (professor of psychology at the University of Sheffield) “people engage in this irrational cycle of chronic procrastination because of an inability to manage negative moods around a task”. Essentially procrastination is a form of coping with negative emotions (anxiety, insecurity, boredom, resentment) related to a task. So, procrastination is not a problem related to time management rather emotion regulation. When we procrastinate it relieves the distress we are experiencing related to the task immediately, which reinforces the choice to procrastinate. We do feel better temporarily, even though in the long-term we may face negative consequences. When we feel ill equipped or insecure about or ability to complete a task we may think “I’m not smart enough to do this”, “I’m going to screw this up” or maybe “Everyone is going to realize that I am an imposter”. Rather than facing those thoughts, it feels so much better to put the task off and organize your desk space instead. We feel better in the present even though our future self may suffer. Simply telling yourself to not procrastinate is not a solution either because, like I mentioned earlier, procrastination isn’t related to laziness. So no matter how many productivity hacks you put in place, if it doesn’t address the root cause of procrastination you are going to find yourself in the same cycle.
Rather than focusing on productivity, focusing on the emotions that arise when you try to start the task may help to work through the resistance to get started. Avoidance is a rewarding tactic, at least in the short term, so in order to move away from avoidance we need to find a way to cope that gives us a better reward. One tactic that has been shown to be effective in the face of procrastination is self-compassion. I know you’re think “wait, what? How is self-compassion supposed to help?” just hear me out on this one. In a 2012 study by Dr. Siriois, she found that lower levels of self-compassion may explain some stress experienced by individuals who procrastinate and interventions that promotes self-compassion could be beneficial. Other studies have found that self-compassion can improve motivation, personal growth, and increase positive emotions such as optimism, curiosity, and kindness. While it is easy to say “be more compassionate to yourself” it is not always easy to do. It can help to try and reframe the task considering some of the positive aspects or reminding yourself of times where you succeeded in a similar activity.
Overcoming our urge to procrastinate takes time, and requires us to look deeply into what is motivating us to procrastinate and to not judge ourselves for the times we do. We are all trying our best and some days it is easier to overcome that urge to avoid. So maybe next time you feel that voice in your head saying “do it later”, try to engage some self-compassion or go alphabetize your spice rack and try again!
